Tableware.



0. V. KEAN.

TABLEWARE.

APPLICATEON FILED MAR. 25. 916.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

WITN88ES 0 INl/EN TOR y M W ATTORNEYS O'IHO V. KEAN, OF FBOVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TABLEWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent. l atgnted Aug- 28 191% Application filed. March 25, 1916. Serial No. 86,568.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, 01110 V. KEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tableware, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to table ware such as spoons, knives and forks, and to the method of manufacture thereof.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide improvements in articles of this character whereby the manufacturing cost thereof is reduced.

A further object is to provide high quality silverware, spoons or the like, of attractive appearance and capable of sale at relatively low prices.

Other objects and advantages will be in part noted hereinafter in connection with the following description of a typical embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is aplan view of an improved spoon;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line cc0c of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view on line y-y of Fig. 1.

The invention comprises, in general, a spoon or the like having an edging frame of precious metal and one or more inserts of cheaper material, as for instance ceramic material, such as china or porcelain. As shown in the drawing, the spoon is provided with china body portions constituting the major portion of the blade or bowl and handle, which are united and protected by an edging of silverware properly shaped to encircle the body portions and give the de sired conformation and strength to the finished product.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown a spoon having a bowl 1 and a handle body 2 of china properly shaped to conform with the selected design. The remainder of the spoon consists only of a metal beading 3, which closely encircles.

body portions 1 and 2, the opposite sides of said frame being brought together, or united, as at 5 to form a shank to hold the body portions 1 and 2 in proper spaced relation, the side portions forming the shank being integral with the frame portions of the handle and blade. This beading 3 is preferably of silver wire which may be purchased directly from refiners, and is susceptible of shaping by suitable rolling operations to provide an interior groove 4L to fit snugly about the correspondingly formed edge of the body portion seated therein. The shank 5 of the spoon is left thickened to afford requisite strength and proportion to the handle.

' By thus utilizing the metal edging for the frame only, it is possible to reduce the silver cost to a minimum and also to eliminate all scrap in manufacture. The economy thus effected permits the manufacture of tableware as described with Sterling frames at a cost not exceeding similar articles of good quality silver plated ware. By this construction a table article is made which is not only cheaper to construct than those now on the market, but which, furthermore, is constructed of materials better adapted to the purpose. By making the main body portion of china or the like, the principal portions of the article are better able to resist scratching and denting than articles which are made of pure metal, whereas on account of the metallic edging, the articles are less apt to chip or break.

It will be understood that the china body portions may be tinted 0r decorated as desired, a capability which materially increases the range of design without increasing the expense, and which enhances the beauty of the product.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the acompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is An article of the character described comprising, in combination, a blade and a handle, said parts each comprising an open metallic edge frame, and body portions of ceramic material constituting the main portions of each of said parts, said frames being joined by a metallic shank, said shank being provided by united side portions of said edge frames intermediate said body portions said united portions being integral With the frame portions of said handle and said blade, said frames composed of a grooved Wire the OTHO V. KEAN.

Witnesses:

H. M. SEAMANs, M. A. MEYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

